Stinging nettle treatment for joint pain due to arthritis: Is it worth it?

 In response to the video 5 steps to reduce your joint pain | Anti-inflammatory diet on YouTube, Sandra Bagwell asked:

“How do you feel about stinging nettles capsules?”  

Stinging nettles may be worth a try. But there’s not enough evidence out there to get excited. 

  Here’s what we know: 

• Stinging nettles were used in Europe for the treatment of joint pain for hundreds of years before pharmaceutical grade anti-inflammatory drugs like Aleve and Ibuprofen.  
• stinging nettle leaves contain chemicals known to be anti-inflammatory.  

• In the medical literature there is one randomized, controlled trail in which the nettles were used along with other natural compounds and found to be effective.* 

NSAIDs like Aleve and Ibuprofen can cause ulcers, kidney failure, heart attacks, and stroke when used over time. It’s reasonable to presume natural compounds like stinging nettles and CBD to be safer, especially over time. But like many other natural compounds, there just wasn’t a lot of information out there about stinging nettles.  

To find out if there was more I turned to ayurvedic practitioner Lorilee Gilmore from Moksha Ayurveda. She does recommend the nettles and has used them in her preparations. 

“Nettles have strong anti-inflammatory properties. They’re great for joint pain, even gout. And they’re easy to take… It’s considered a superfood… You can use it both internally as well as topically”.

—Lorilee Gilmore 

Natural compounds seem safe, but it can be hard to find a reliable source. Stinging nettles vetted by Mrs. Gilmore are available from Moksha Ayurveda Phoenix through their website: MOKSHA AYURVEDA PHX  

For more on stinging nettles in arthritis watch this segment of Best Practice Live.  

*A Rosa canina – Urtica dioica – Harpagophytum procumbens/zeyheri Combination Significantly Reduces Gonarthritis Symptoms in a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Study – PubMed (nih.gov)